Randolph students charged to be respectful as 199 graduate

Sunday

Jun 1, 2014 at 9:29 PMJun 2, 2014 at 8:06 AM

A student speaker at Randolph High School's commencement on Sunday, June 1 stressed the importance of respect

Cody Shepard The Enterprise @cshepard_ENT

RANDOLPH – Respect was the theme of the day Sunday as 199 students graduated from Randolph High School at Memorial Field. Class orator Charlotte Donovan’s message brought school officials and fellow students to their feet as she spoke about the importance of respect.

“My parents have always taught me that it doesn’t matter if you like everyone, but you have to respect everyone,” Donovan said. “Randolph High taught me that in the absence of respect, we jeopardize how others view us.”

Donovan said some of the most valuable lessons she and her fellow students learned in school were life lessons that could not be tested in the SAT.

“We must always remember to build our lives on respect, and with this mentality we will thrive in life, proving that success is not determined by where you come from, but by how hard you work for it,” she said.

Salutatorian Briana Cheng echoed Donovan, saying life lessons were the most important thing she learned in school.

“The most valuable knowledge that you can gain does not come from textbooks or PowerPoints or exams or essays, it comes from your mistakes, your experiences, your friends, your tears, your laughter and every bit of adversity that was ever thrown at you,” Cheng said.